Same-sex marriage is not inevitable, in spite of what Sen. Hatch may believe

It was noteworthy when Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch said he believed that same-sex marriage was inevitable, given the way the entire nation is looking at Utah’s defense of traditional marriage in a court case that is likely to head to the Supreme Court.

The truth is that there is a vast, deep, expansive sea of humanity in favor of the family. And their power, should they choose to unleash it, is unfathomable.

Two weeks ago, the nation was greeted with the news that Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch believed that same-sex marriage was inevitable nation-wide. The fact that a Republican Senator from the state of Utah had declared such an outcome to be predetermined is noteworthy given the way the entire nation is looking at Utah’s defense of traditional marriage in a court case that is likely to head to the Supreme Court.

Another preacher of the doctrine of marriage’s inevitable transformation was Fredrick Engels, co-founder of modern socialism, who died in1895. Said Engels, “We are now approaching a social revolution in which the hitherto existing economic foundation of monogamy will disappear . With the passage of the means of production into common property, the individual family ceases to be the economic unit of society.”

At least Sen. Hatch offered his opinion that “I don’t think that’s the right way to go,” while Engels celebrates the abolition of father-mother-child economic entities in favor of government-regulated “common property.”

The tactic of broadcasting statements that declare a certain outcome to be “inevitable” is not a new one. It is a battle cry that has risen from the lips of over-grasping governments and social engineers for many a century.

So well-known is this domination ploy that it is the stuff of classic literature as well as modern pop culture. In the science fiction realm, Captain Piccard of the Starship Enterprise fell victim to the “inevitable” manipulation of the Borg collective for a time when they declared: “You will be assimilated; resistance is futile.” In other words, “Your fate is inevitable. Give up now. Don’t bother fighting.” If you are an attacker, the primary reason to instruct your victims to stop fighting is if you believe their efforts to resist have the potential to be effective.

Interestingly, many losses that have initially seemed inevitable in the history of the world have turned out to be stunning victories. When General Washington and his demoralized men were starving in the frigid clutches of Valley Forge, victory seemed very unlikely. And yet, early next month we will all look skyward in awe as fireworks fall triumphantly over the home of the brave in celebration of the great victory Washington and his wiry warriors won against all odds.

Things also looked pretty dubious when an old man in sandals hefting a staff walked up to the edge of the Red Sea, with a veritable sea of humanity at his heels screaming for deliverance. At that moment destruction also seemed inevitable. Yet it wasn’t.

In more modern times, World War II survivor Louis Zamperini lay foundering on a tiny raft in the middle of the ocean surrounded by sharks and assailed by enemy aircraft. One might have been tempted to predict that his impending death was inevitable. But again, it wasn’t.

Our current situation isn’t as dire as some would believe. The media scoreboard does not reflect the true record. The majority of people in our nation and across the globe still understand that fatherhood and motherhood are fundamental realities, and that they are uniquely equipped to function in tandem.

The truth is that there is a vast, deep, expansive sea of humanity in favor of the family. And their power, should they choose to unleash it, is unfathomable.

Even though Borg-like intimidation tactics may have temporarily breached Sen. Hatch’s reasoning, we’ll keep fighting. We believe that Sen. Hatch recognizes that every child really does need a father and a mother, and that maintaining marriage as the union of a man and a woman is the best way to solidify and protect the unique relationships that exist between fathers, mothers and their children.

Even if courts rule in a way that devalues the worth of a father or a mother to a child, fathers and mothers do matter still. That will become ever more evident as time goes on. If our society goes through an era of court-induced marital anarchy and gross misunderstandings about childhood, human development and sexual function, the uniting of men and women will still be the way that life is produced. And marriage — including lifelong vows of sexual exclusivity — will still be the best way to maintain and foster life. Even if it is temporarily killed, marriage will rise like a phoenix from the ashes of judicial arson that set it aflame.

Kimberly Ells is the President of the Utah Chapter of Family Watch International, which works to protect the family in society. Kimberly can be contacted at kim@familywatchinternational.org